


Do Apartments Come with Receipts?

by TheElevatorsNotWorthy



Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Dream Might Be Homeless, Eret owns a Pizza Place now ig, Fluff and Angst, Ghost!Tommy, I suppose?, PhantommyInnit, Pizza Delivery Boy Dream, Plot guys PLOT!, Sapnap George and Dream are Coworkers, Should be a Tag smh, So I woulda done Ghostbur but it didn't FEEL right ya know, So we have this and I regret NOTHING, Tommy wants people to leave his apartment alone, Well it's not Minecraft, Wilbur Soot and Technoblade are Siblings, Wilbur Soot is a Mess, we may never know
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:06:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28427508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheElevatorsNotWorthy/pseuds/TheElevatorsNotWorthy
Summary: In hindsight, yes, perhaps Wilbur had been too easily suckered into buying the apartment. As he stood in his new kitchen, though, surrounded by boxes, an agonised wail groaning from within the walls, he no longer wondered how he got such a good deal.“Techno-”“15 texts, Wilbur, fifteen,” Technoblade drawled from the doorway, waving his phone at Wilbur’s face as if Wilbur wouldn’t believe him. Technoblade glared at him, and, for good measure, read aloud, “9:36pm If there was a gas leak would there be, like, cold spots in a house? 10:36pm I think someone’s laughing in my house. Could be the neighbours though. 10:42 Wait my neighbours are out. 11:52 Do lights normally turn on without being switched on-”“Do they?” Wilbur asked, attempting to not sound desperate, betrayed by the tapping of his foot.A.K.A Wilbur thinks his new apartment is haunted, Techno wants to divorce his brother, Tommy is confused and Dream just wants to get paid.
Relationships: We Stan Healthy Friendships
Comments: 188
Kudos: 562





	1. No, it's Haunted, I swear.

In hindsight, yes, perhaps Wilbur had been too easily suckered into buying the apartment.

At the time, however, he’d been riding on a high of finding a property so close to his university that he didn’t have to catch 3 different trains- a property so cheap he could actually afford it.

As he stood in his new kitchen, though, surrounded by boxes, an agonised wail groaning from within the walls, he no longer wondered how he got such a good deal.

The wail was interrupted by the doorbell ringing. Wilbur made a beeline for the front door of the apartment, doing his best to keep his footsteps at a normal pace, calming his racing his heart. The sounds he’d been hearing could, by all right, be perfectly normal- the apartment was old, after all, tucked between two newly-built apartment blocks, the type of ‘new’ that had windows that seemed to glow with how clean they were- Wilbur would know, they had woken him up this-morning with their whole obnoxious reflecting _right into his eyes-_

“Techno-”

“15 texts, Wilbur, _fifteen,”_ Technoblade drawled from the doorway, waving his phone at Wilbur’s face as if Wilbur wouldn’t believe him. Technoblade glared at him, and, for good measure, read aloud, “9:36pm _If there was a gas leak would there be, like, cold spots in a house?_ 10:36pm _I think someone’s laughing in my house. Could be the neighbours though._ 10:42 _Wait my neighbours are out._ 11:52 _Do lights normally turn on without being switched on-”_

“Do they?” Wilbur asked, attempting to not sound desperate, betrayed by the tapping of his foot.

Technoblade looked pointedly at it.

“I ordered pizza,” Wilbur said, in an attempt to take Techno’s attention off Wilbur’s internal turmoil with the hope of imminent food.

It worked, and Techno looked up.

“It’ll arrive in a few minutes.”

Techno threw his hands in the air, and Wilbur bit his lip and moved back to the kitchen to continue emptying boxes.

That was when the window opened.

“Uhhh, Techno?”

“Oh, what now,” his brother complained as he entered the doorway.

Wilbur pointed shakily at the apartment’s window that was now open. The walls were quaking and the area near the window was letting off a faint whine.

Techno rolled his eyes and slammed the window shut. He whirled onto Wilbur. “See? It’s all perfectly fi-” the shutters hit Techno on the back of the head as they once again opened.

“Son of a-”

_~Ding dong~_

Wilbur jumped. “P-pizza…” he stuttered, glancing behind him.

Techno grit his teeth, still rubbing the back of his head with one hand as he closed the latch on the shutters with the others. “It’s not a ghost.”

“Okay, buddy, not a ghost,” Wilbur said, less concerned now that there may be a ghost haunting his apartment, and more worried that Techno was about to stab something, what with the rage simmering behind his eyes. That something was most likely going to be the pizza delivery boy, as Techno stormed off to the front door.

Techno paused when he swung the door open and was met with a guy whose blond hair was stuck to his forehead, and an embarrassingly green _Eret’s Pizza_ uniform drenched an ugly khaki. He wore a white face-mask, and, was that a smiley-

“God, did you walk here or something?” Techno said, noting the guy’s state.

Wilbur came around the corner. “How much do we owe- Dream!” he called in recognition.

The guy- Dream- raised an eyebrow. “This is your fourth pizza this week. I am judging you.”

Wilbur scratched the back of his neck. “Yeah, well-”

Wilbur was startled out of an explanation by a streak of lightning that illuminated the windows, which was followed by a deafening boom that lasted for a good thirty seconds, rattling the door frame.

Wilbur looked out the window to the street outside. “They make you deliver stuff in this?”

Dream shrugged. “You should see my boss in a dress. There ain’t no arguing with that kind of power. Also, I’ve got tuition to think of.”

“Student loans are a thing, ya know,” Techno said sardonically.

“I’d rather not sell my soul just yet.”

“Well too bad for you,” Techno retorted. “Cause Wilbur here reckons his house is haunted.”

Wilbur huffed indignantly. “You would too if you’d heard the noises last night.”

Dream scoffed “Ooh, neighbours go bump in the night and suddenly your vigin-ass is high-tailing it?”

Wilbur was silent. Then he chocked. Violently.

Techno pat his brothers back as he attempted to maintain a cool veneer. Inside he was cackling. Then he blinked.

“So, uh… you wanna come in?”

**.oO0Oo.**

After Dream was graciously donated a hoodie (Techno, you can’t just hand out my clothes to practical strangers. They won’t even fit I’m an actual bean-pole - _Techno that’s one of my favourites._ Also I’ll pay you in a bit Dream, I have a _bigger problem right now-)_ and each of the three men had a slice of pizza in their hand, Dream surveyed the apartment.

“Yo, Wilbur, haven’t you been here for a few days?”

A nod in response.

“Why the hell are there still boxes out?”

“That’s what I’ve been saying,” Techno agreed with a bite from his pizza. “The wuss can’t be productive when he’s hiding under a blanket in front of the TV trying to ignore the dripping tap.”

At this point Wilbur had given up on trying to reason with his brother and the bloody _pizza guy_ so he walked into the kitchen to at least get some cutlery in the drawer.

“So,” Dream turned a calculating gaze to Techno. “Something tells me that if you were fully convinced it was a leaky tap, you wouldn’t still be here.”

“Well if we ignore the literal storm outside…”

He got a deadpan glare from the other.

Techno shrugged, taking another bite. “Who knows. Maybe my Greek-mythology study has messed with my perception of the realistic.”

“You a history major?”

“English.”

“…Huh.”

Wilbur ran into the room, his gaze wild. He slammed the door shut behind him in his panic, and ran toward the two on the couch. “A- As much as I’d hate to interrupt this incredibly awkward heart-to-heart, Dream, I need you to check this out.”

“Why not me?” Techno asked, affronted. “You’ve met this guy, like twice.”

“Four times, actually,” Dream corrected with a raised brow at Wilbur

“And yet I still trust him more than you, Techie,” Wilbur said. “What does that say about you?”

There was a crash from the kitchen, and the door suddenly swung open. At first, there was nothing, and Dream was almost able to pass it off as a particularly strong, violent blast of angry wind, if not for the fact that the wind decided, in that moment, to ask,

“Who the fuck are you guys?”


	2. Remember Your Keys, Folks

_“Who the fuck are you guys?”_

Wilbur let out a shriek. A manly, respectable – oh, who was he kidding. He was terrified and his voice betrayed him.

Even Technoblade seemed a little shaken, letting out a small “hhhh….”. Dream was the only one who appeared fine, his head tilted in consideration as he took in the faint outline of a boy in the doorframe separating the kitchen and the living room.

If it weren’t for the fact that the Ghost looked about as intimidating as a small dog, Wilbur would have got the _fuck out of here-_

“Who are _we?”_ Dream scoffed, “Who are you, kid? No, _what_ are you?”

“Oh, ho ho,” the Ghost mocked “Look at you, Big Man, barging into my apartment like you own the place. Well I’ll tell you wh- Hold on, what’s your name Big Man?”

“Dream.”

“Ohhhh Big D! Well, let’s get one thing straight. This is my house, mate, and you’re trespassing, so if you don’t want me to call the cops, you better scram.”

Techno scrunched his brow “But you’re, like, twelve, kid. This can’t be your place.”

Wilbur’s eyes were near his hairline as he cried “I think we’re all avoiding the bloody corporeal Elephant in the room here!”

He was ignored.

“Twelve?” The Ghost curled his lip in disgust. “I’ll show you twelve, you-”

“Alright, it was nice meeting you!” Wilbur called over his shoulder as he hurried Dream out of the living room, ripping his apartment door open and dragging Technoblade out by the sleeve.

Dream blinked as Wilbur shut the front door, creating a barrier between the trio and… _that._

“You know that Ghosts can just… phase through walls, right?”

“Shut it, Dream, I do _not_ need your sass right now.”

Techno opened his mouth, but Wilbur whirled on him in an instant. “Ah! That includes you! Honestly, the pair of you are no help at all.”

Technoblade opened his mouth again, and with a bored look asked, “Do you have your key on you? This is an automatically locking door.”

“…It’s what.”

Dream let out a wheeze as Wilbur slid down the wall, head in his hands.

**.oO0Oo.**

“No, Dream, you need to move your leg up to-”

“I’m handling it, calm down.”

“You’re clearly not-”

“Techno, get your foot out of my face.”

“Oh, Wilbur, don’t you start.”

“Guys-”

“No, I _will_ start. All I wanted to do was move into my new apartment and instead I’ve been kicked out by some kid who doesn’t understand the legality of apartment leases _,_ and all I have for comfort is you, my apathetic asshole of a brother, and some pizza delivery guy who stole my favourite hoodie and won’t take off his face mask- don’t think I didn’t miss you not eating any Pizza, Dream-”

“Oh, boo hoo, at least I came when you texted me. Forgive me for not believing there was a ghost! You can’t blame me for not having too much faith in your ability to rationalise when you act like _this_ at the first sign of danger!”

“Wait, guys”-

“You can’t honestly blame me! First ghosts, now heights, what’s next, a giant spider? Not only that, but it’s still raining, and at any moment we’re probably going to be struck by lightning-”

“GUYS!” Dream called, down over the railing. Wilbur wobbled slightly as he attempted to maintain his balance on Technoblade’s shoulders. Stacked like this, on each other’s shoulders, Dream had just been able to reach the balcony of the second story. While Wilbur and Techno had been arguing, Dream had shimmied himself over the railing. Wilbur’s apartment was on the third floor, so Dream had taken the liberty of climbing onto the railing and gripping the underside of the third-floor balcony. He pulled himself up an over, thankful that his friend, Sapnap, was such a gym junky and dragged him to weight training most days.

“I’m going to slip through the window. Go back inside and I’ll open the door for you.”

Technoblade nodded. “Don’t die.”

Dream didn’t deign a response. The balcony door was locked, so he didn’t bother trying to open it. Around the side of the building, however, was a respectably sized open window that Dream thought he would be able to squeeze through. He’d just have to be quiet to not alert he ghost.

That was something Dream never thought he’d have to be mindful of, and he shook his head in disbelief. He heard a faint thump and groan from behind him. He didn’t need to turn around to know that the two brothers had most likely fallen down in a heap once failing to get Wilbur safely off Technoblade’s shoulders. That was the exact reason that Dream volunteered to be the one to climb through the window. _He_ at least had some coordination.

Dream leaned over the edge of the balcony’s railing, surveying the window. It was located about a metre and a half away from the edge of the building and had a small overhang. Under normal circumstances, Dream thought that he could have quite easily jumped to the window, but in the storm, Dream knew that it would be slippery. Even so, he and the two brothers hadn’t been able to come up with a better idea, short of Techno running into, and consequently _through,_ the front door (which Dream didn’t doubt he could do; the guy’s shoulders were _impressive-_ ). Wilbur had shut down that idea immediately, muttering something about damages affecting return policies.

Dream took a breath and wiped some of the rainwater off his eyelashes. He lifted himself onto the top of the railing, thankful that his shoes, which didn’t have to be _Eret’s Pizza_ uniform, would at least help a bit with the rain. He bit his lip and prepared to launch himself at the window. Dream didn’t bother looking down. It was only the third story, so he probably wouldn’t _die_ if he fell _,_ but breaking a leg surprisingly wasn’t on his list of things to do that evening.

“Hey, Big D.”

Dream fell off the railing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Techno: Black  
> Wilbur: White  
> Tecnho: Black  
> Dream: Grey *leaves with a hair flick*  
> Wilbur and Techno: *Shocked Pikachu face*
> 
> How you like the chapter!!! I'm not sure if you guys would like longer chapters - I tend to do ones around 1,000 words, but if you think that's annoying and wouldn't mind longer between updates, I could lengthen them! Just let me know!


	3. Leave Parkour to Professionals

“What do you think is taking him so long?” Wilbur asked Technoblade, rubbing his arms in an attempt to warm himself. His typical yellow sweater lay on the floor next to him, too wet to be of any benefit. He had his back against the door, once again, and was watching the hallway light flicker on. off. on. off.

Techno said nothing as he wrung out his braid, twisting it and watching water drip from it, making a small puddle on the floor. Wilbur turned to his brother and cocked his head in contemplation, noting the darker colour of his hair.

“Light pink suits you much better.”

“I hate you.”

“It’s mutual.”

Technoblade sighed. “Are we ever going to stop this?”

“Stop what?” Wilbur asked, feigning ignorance.

Technoblade gestured between them. “This… animosity.”

“You’re the only animal here.”

Technoblade threw his head back, and it landed on the wall behind him with a dull thunk. “Look, I know that you blame me for Dad-”

“Let’s not do this now,” Wilbur said, turning to Techno with a tired look in his eye. “Let’s just get through tonight and we can talk when we’re warm and dry and have had some sleep.”

“Don’t forget about the ghost,” Dream said as he opened the door.

Both Wilbur and Technoblade jumped slightly at Dream’s interruption (alright, fine, Wilbur wasn’t exactly _subtle_ , but at least he didn’t scream. He only gasped. Loudly. Alright, honestly, it sounded more like he was choking. In any other situation, like, at a restaurant, say, other patrons would probably have looked on in concern, like, “is that guy alright?” and “anyone know the Heimlich manouver?” mixed in with a few “Isn’t that the son of the guy who-” and “Yeah, I heard his brother is unhinged. They say he planned for-” followed by “ _no_ ” but confirmed with a hushed “ _yes”._ You get the point, I’m sure.)

“Dream, you made it. I was beginning to think you’d fallen to your death or something,” Technoblade said, trying to hide how relieved he was feeling. Supernatural circumstances such as these had a tendency to bond people, ya know.

Dream laughed, but it sounded forced. “Yeah, imagine falling off.”

Wilbur raised an eyebrow.

“Ok, so I did fall off the railing.”

(“!” summarises Wilbur and Technoblade’s responses quite nicely, I think).

“ _Explain_ ,” Techno grit out.

***

_“Hey, Big D.”_

_Dream jumped at the sudden voice and felt his balance shift. He windmilled his arms in an effort to correct it, but with the rain and the wind whipping around him like there was no tomorrow (ironic, in Dream’s situation), Dream couldn’t manage to get his balance back. He felt himself tip forward, and he flailed his arms out to try and grab onto the railing on his way down. He felt his hand touch wet metal, but before he could properly wrap his fingers around it, his hand slipped, his downward momentum not helping his cause (gravity, and all that)._

_Dream’s breath left him in a gasp, and he snapped his head downward, looking for a way to somehow dampen his fall. He prepared himself to roll out of the fall in an attempt to spare his ankles from hopefully-not-irreparable damage, but he suddenly felt a harsh tug on the back of his hoodie (‘My hoodie,’ Wilbur would like to remind you). The rest of his breath was forced out of him as the jumper caught around something, bunching under his shoulders and constricting his chest. The fabric slipped over his face, and he would have thought he was going to slip out if it weren’t for the pain under his arms and around his chest. From the outside, he probably would have looked quite absurd, but, as it were, that thought was nowhere near the front of his mind- he was just trying to stop himself launching into a panic spiral._

_Dream felt himself touching something, and suddenly he was unceremoniously dumped on a wooden floor. Dream tugged down the hoodie and rolled onto his back, looking up at the dark underside of the ceiling of the fourth story balcony. Never one for the cliché, Dream didn’t bother patting himself down to check that all his body parts were attached. Instead, he just, lay there. Unmoving._

_He felt the air somehow get colder on his right, and he turned his head._

_He didn’t have the energy to say anything to the ghost that was now crouching over him, so he simply kept his face blank and looked through the Ghost back at the balcony above him._

_“How,” Dream asked after a while, but he still didn’t have the energy to add any inflection to the end._

_The ghost opened his mouth a few times, probably conflicted over whether sarcasm was appropriate for the conversation. “I can interact with inanimate objects.”_

_Dream lifted his hand and lazily swiped his hand through the ghost’s face. “Huh,” was his intelligent reply. The ghost rolled his eyes and stood (floated upright?), giving Dream some space so that Dream could sit up without shoving his face through the ghost’s._

_“Why?” Dream asked, his question now actually sounding like a question and less a huff of air._

_Now that the ghost noted that Dream seemed to have gathered his wits, he answered with: “Trust me, Big D, death kinda sucks.”_

_***_

Wilbur managed to choke out “Why do you do this to us,” and he clutched at his chest to check that his heart was still working.

Dream shrugged. “It’s kinda fun.”

“I swear, you’re more of an asshole than the ghost.”

“More than Techno?” Dream asked.

“Ooh, it’s close. It’s really close.”

“So, you just entered through the balcony door?” Technoblade asked.

Dream nodded. “The ghost just opened it. Said something about that being better than leaving me on the balcony to have another try at missing the window. Then, poof, disappeared.”

Technoblade stood. “Well, I don’t know about you guys, but I’m gonna go in and get dry.” He gave a pointed look to Dream. “You looked like a drowned cat.”

Dream shrugged and moved out of the doorway as Techno breezed past him with a pat on the shoulder. Dream hauled Wilbur up and they, too, entered the apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How do you like the first taste of the brothers' backstory?  
> Next chapters a longer one so look forward to it!!!  
> Also nearly 200 kudos and this is only the third update! Thank you so much! I got so many nice comments last chapter and they honestly made my day. I hope you enjoyed!!!


	4. His Name's Tommy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be going away for a few days so it will be a little longer than usual before the next update.  
> As I ask for forgiveness, take this longer chapter.
> 
> Oh also, cw for a bit of blood? But like a tiny bit and it's not graphic- I just don't want anyone to be uncomfortable so I thought I'd forewarn. That said, queue the shenanigans!

The second time that the stove lit by itself, Wilbur had had enough.

“COOL IT, WILL YOU?”

Wilbur understood the irony of it too late.

The apartment’s temperature took a sudden plunge, and Wilbur, Technoblade and Dream watched as their breathes came out of their mouths in clouds. Frost climbed over the windows, and Wilbur was fairly certain that sticking his head in the fridge would be warmer than this.

“Oh, come one,” Wilbur sighed, momentarily blinded by his breath’s condensation. “There isn’t even air conditioning in this place.

Dream curled into himself on the couch. A sneeze left him, and Techno whirled around to face him.

“You even sneeze like a cat.”

“What?”

“What.”

Wilbur rolled his eyes. “You better not be getting a cold.”

Dream’s green eyes cut into Wilbur. “Do you think I have a choice? Rain and sudden changes in temperature are not good for my immune system. It’s objecting to this mistreatment.”

Wilbur may have imagined it, but he thought that the temperature lifted slightly.

Then the stove lit again.

Wilbur threw a pillow on the floor for lack of vases to smash (the ghost had taken care of that for him. Wilbur no longer had any vases). He stood, his anger removing his usual paranoia.

“Why don’t you bloody show yourself instead of having a temper tantrum?” Wilbur asked the air. The trio hadn’t seen the ghost since he had rescued Dream, but they had certainly noted his presence – smashed vases, knocked-over boxes, temperature changes, rain on the _inside of the apartment,_ and the bloody drip, drip, drip of the tap to name a few.

Dream raised an eyebrow at Wilbur. Technoblade just looked bored. The two were huddled next to each other on the sofa, trying to preserve warmth.

“What do you want?” Wilbur continued, a slight waver in his voice now that his anger was fading the longer he stood in the middle of the living room.

“Women. And drugs,” a voice echoed. Wilbur searched the room, but he still couldn’t see the ghost.

“But mainly I just want you guys to leave,” the phantom-voice continued. “And I thought that _I_ was annoying.”

“Uh…”

“Hey, Ghost,” Techno began.

“The Ghost has a name,” the voice retorted, affronted.

“Well?”

“Well, it’s Tommy, innit?”

“Tommy Innit?”

Wilbur rolled his eyes. “Americans,” he muttered.

Technoblade glared at Wilbur.

Dream hummed. “That reminds me, why do you guys have different accents? Aren’t you brothers?”

Wilbur raised a brow so far it reached it disappeared under his mop of hair. “Now? Really? Can’t we sort out Tommy first?”

“Ghost Tommy?” Dream mused. Then he gasped “Phantommy!”

The ghost’s voice cackled. “So you guys do have a sense of humour! I never thought I’d see it. Honestly, you’re all so dry and boring.” The ghost faked a scream, mocking to trio (mostly Wilbur, though, let’s be real). He then laughed.

“Why don’t you, uh, show yourself?” Techno asked, echoing Wilbur’s earlier question.

“Cause it’s _tiring_ ,” Tommy moaned. “Look, everything’s tiring. Can you all just leave?”

“Why?” Wilbur asked.

This seemed to give the ghost pause. “… Because, bitch!”

Dream huffed. “If you aren’t going to give as a proper reason, then why should we?”

Tommy was silent for a bit, and Wilbur took this opportunity to contemplate the ghost’s words. Why would he want them to leave? He didn’t seem to be the type to be malicious for fun, nor did he sound like the type to enjoy being alone. Was it for their sake, then? He did save Dream, after all. Was it dangerous to be here? Was whatever killed Tommy still here? Wilbur shuddered.

Dream looked at Wilber out of the corner of his eyes, having noted Wilbur’s turmoil.

It was then that lightbulbs blew.

Glass shattered down from the ceiling, and the three ducked their heads, covering as much of their bodies as they could with their jumpers. Wilbur felt a small shard catch on his hand, and he heard Dream let out a small gasp. Once he was sure that the glass had stopped falling, he looked up. The apartment was dark, the only light coming from static on the television and intermittent flashes of lightning that cast the apartment in blues. Wilbur studied his hand. It didn’t look like it had any glass in it, but a small slash in the flesh of his thumb had him rushing to the kitchen sink to run it under water.

“Careful of the glass on the floor!” Techno called after him. Wilbur rolled his eyes, indicating to the shoes on his feet, and looked back at the other two from the kitchen.

“Are you guys injured?”

Techno shrugged. “Only little grazes on my hands. Dream?”

Dream lifted his foot. On the side was a 5cm gash. It looked shallow though, so, Wilbur thought they’d all be fine with some band-aids.

Dream sneezed again, his shivering increasing.

Technoblade looked at him contemplatively. “I think that we should go.”

“What?” Dream asked. “Run away from a Ghost throwing a Temper Tantrum?” Dream scoffed.

Wilbur let out a squeak. “But I just bought this apartment!”

“I thought you wanted to return it?”

“That’s not the point!”

“Look,” Technoblade began to reason. “Dream’s getting a cold, we just got attacked by glass, your belongings are getting destroyed, and it’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt. The best course of action would be to make a tactical retreat.”

Wilbur bit the inside of his cheek. His brother had a point, loath as he was to admit it. That didn’t stop him from biting out, “I thought that your whole schtick was anarchy and bloodshed? What happened to ‘Blood for the Blood God’?”

Technoblade nodded. “I do like violence, but I prefer Bloodshed when it’s the _other_ side getting destroyed.”

Wilbur felt something in his chest tighten. They were entering dangerous territory. “You’re a goddamn psychopath.”

Technoblade said nothing.

Dream looked between the two brothers, sensing something deeper than what they were saying. “I agree with Techno,” Dream said, uncharacteristically quiet.

Wilbur sighed and looked to the ceiling. “Fine,” he eventually said. “But where would we go?”

Dream looked to Techno. “Don’t look at me,” the pink-haired man said. “I crash at my on campus, and my university doesn’t let visitors in past 10pm.”

Wilbur looked at his watch. It was 10:30. Dream had arrived at 7. _No wonder I feel so tired,_ Wilbur thought. _This is too much for one night._

“Well then I guess we’re going to your place, Dream,” Wilbur said. Wilbur waltzed back into the living room, handing Dream and Technoblade some band-aids.

Dream’s mask hid his expression, but his eyes creased slightly in what Wilbur could only assume was a wince. 

“You do have somewhere to sleep, right?” Techno asked.

Dream nodded. “Yeah, yeah, of course.”

Techno raised an eyebrow, sceptical.

“What, I do! It’s very big. It’s just… It’s secret, you know? Like, a huge, secret lair. That’s secret.”

“Riiight,” Techno said, turning to Wilbur with a look that his brother matched.

Dream coughed, “Well, anyway, I know somewhere we can go.”

“Really?”

“Have you guys ever been to _Eret’s Pizza?_ ”

**.oO0Oo.**

“No wonder you were drenched when you arrived,” Technoblade said, looking at the rusted bicycle that Dream had apparently arrived on. It looked like a cheap thing, a crate attached to the back with zip-ties to presumedly put pizzas in.

Dream nodded with pursed lips.

“Well, that’s clearly not going to do.”

Dream glared at Wilbur from under his eyelashes as if to ask “really? You think that I don’t know that?”

“We could catch the bus,” Technoblade offered.

“I’m not allowed on Public Transport.” Dream huffed. “Something about knives,” he added at Wilbur’s questioning look.

Wilbur blinked. He looked between Techno and Dream. “You two are more similar than I originally thought.”

Technoblade slung an arm around Dream’s shoulder and smirked. Dream punched his stomach in return, causing Techno to convulsively bend over, clutching his stomach.

“I have a co-worker I could call,” Dream said. “He doesn’t have a shift today.”

Wilbur cringed at the thought of having to go in a car with Technoblade. Looking at his brother, Wilbur saw that he made a similar expression.

“Sounds good,” Wilbur said, trying to make his voice stay level.

Dream moved away slightly to make the phone call, but Technoblade and Wilbur could still hear him regardless.

“Heyyy, Bud…Yes, I know what the time is, but since when did you have a healthy sleep pattern?... Look, could I get a ride to work?... Because it’s _raining._ Would you really make me ride in the rain? What do you mean yes? You are such a-” Dream sneezed twice in quick succession. “Please, dude?” Dream rattled off the address. “Oh, and there are two others.”

Dream hung up before whoever was on the other end of the call could object. He returned to the two brothers and sat underneath the apartment block’s overhang. “Now we wait, I guess.”

Technoblade and Wilbur sat down as well, either side of Dream.

“So,” Deam said “What’s up with your accents?”

Technoblade raised an eyebrow.

“Oh, come on, brothers that are practically the same age-”

“Techno’s three years younger, we are not the _same age-_ ”

“-don’t arbitrarily have different accents. So, I repeat. What’s up.”

“We’re adopted,” Techno said calmly, avoiding looking at Wilbur as he decided to get this over with. “Wilbur and his father lived in England then moved to America when Wilbur was fifteen. His Dad, Philza, got a job as a grocer, and I, being the perfectly well-behaved foster child that I was, decided to steal a few apples. Give it a year, I was kicked out of that current home and Philza decided to adopt me. Wilbur was an unfortunate fine-print in the contract.”

“I don’t know how you can just talk about that,” Wilbur spit. “How can you just- about-” Wilbur cut himself off before he revealed something he didn’t want Dream to hear. Despite him being almost a complete stranger, Wilbur actually liked Dream, and didn’t want him running away (Under better circumstances, Wilbur might say that he also thought Techno could use the friend Dream was turning out to be).

Dream hummed, opening his mouth to say something, before deciding against it. They sat in an amiable silence until a black car rolled in front of them. There was a large scratch in the side. Wilbur was not confident in this person’s driving skills.

The window rolled down.

“Get in Losers, we’re going shopping.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who it is.
> 
> Greetings!! I hope you liked :)  
> Thanks again for all your lovely comments; I appreciate them so much!!!


	5. Pizza Fixes Everything

“So, let me get this straight,” Sapnap said, sitting across from Wilbur, Dream and Technoblade. A table separated them and, having had their dinner interrupted by Phantommy, a pizza sat on the table. Dream had snuck a piece into a nook in the kitchen to eat without anyone having to see his face. Surprisingly, (or unsurprisingly if you took into account the quality of Eret’s pizzas) there were still people at the restaurant despite it being near 11pm. A fan swung lazily overhead, and the four sat comfortably sat in the red seats of the diner, bathed in a yellow light from the walled lamps. The smell of pizzas wafted from the kitchen, and Dream just wanted to fall asleep.

“I don’t really understand what you’re not understanding,” Dream said to his coworker. “There’s a ghost. In Wilbur’s apartment-” he pointed at the man in question “-and we need to regroup and figure out what to do.”

Sapnap still looked sceptical. “And how are you caught up in this?”

“I don’t… actually know?” Dream replied, looking at Techno as if he could answer for him.

Technoblade sent a deadpan look at Sapnap. “He’s here for our amazing personalities.”

“We also haven’t paid him yet,” Wilbur added.

Sapnap held the bridge of his nose, then looked over his shoulder. “Oh, I forgot, Eret’ll probably appear soon.”

Dream froze. “He’s still here? I thought he left George to close on Fridays.” Dream looked close to panicking.

George took that moment to leave the kitchen and sit next to Sapnap. “Yeah, well, _someone_ disappeared at seven and didn’t tell anyone where they were. Forgive us for panicking.”

Dream let his head thump onto the table. “He’s gonna _kill_ me.”

George nodded unsympathetically. “I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again: you are such an Idiot, with, like, a capital ‘I’ and everything. What were you even doing? Who are these guys?” He asked, pointing at Wilbur and Technoblade. Then he squinted his eyes at them, as if remembering something. “Hey, aren’t you-”

George was cut off as the door from the kitchen slammed open, and a tall man in a Strawberry dress and heeled boots stormed in.

“ _You,”_ he said, pointing a finger at Dream. Dream curled in on himself further, leaning back into his chair. He felt a hand on his arm and noted Technoblade next to him looking between the two men.

“Hiiiii, Eret,” Dream replied.

Eret kept opening and closing his mouth, as if he didn’t quite know what to say, but Dream knew that once Eret started, it would be difficult to get him to stop. Sapnap and George, knowing what was about to happen, took this as their opportunity to duck into the kitchen, trying, and failing, to smother their smirks. They began watching from the window separating the diner from the kitchen.

“I sent you out with a simple pizza delivery. Sure, it was raining, but I _pay_ you for this kind of stuff. It was one pizza, and you’ve been gone for _four hours_. You didn’t even text me! I gave you that phone for a reason you ungrateful… lime! Plus, not to mention the state you’ve come back in! Dripping wet, and I _heard_ that sneeze, Dream, don’t even try to pretend that you don’t have a cold. Those aren’t even your clothes- I know your clothes, you have about four outfits and I bought half of them!

“Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” Eret crowed, sounding every bit like a Mother who’s just found her child who’s run off, and is unsure if they should be angry or relieved.

Some people in the restaurant faltered in their conversations, but Dream noted some regulars who hardly spared a glance at Eret and Dream. Probably too used to this situation to care.

“You had one job, goddammit!” Eret continued. “What reason could you possibly have to explain youself?” Reprimand seemingly over, Eret stood over Dream, chest heaving, arms folded over his dress.

Dream bit his lip. “There’s a ghost?”

“There’s a-” Eret seemed to suddenly realise that Dream wasn’t alone but flanked by Wilbur and Technoblade.

Wilbur and Technoblade nodded in confirmation of Dream’s explanation. Looking at the three, Eret couldn’t help but think they looked like scolded children (which they were, but, they all looked to be the same age as Eret. One of them was maybe even older).

“Do we have a problem with this ghost?” George said, approaching the table as he noted that Eret seemed to have calmed down in his shock.

“You can’t believe this, can you?” Eret said to George. “Dream’s hardly the most honest employee.”

Dream gasped in mock hurt. “How dare you. I am very honest.”

Eret turned to Dream. “Did you steal two knives on Wednesday evening after your shift and then carve a picture of PewDiePie on the ‘specials’ blackboard saying Thursday’s special was ‘Bitch Lasagne’?”

“I would _never._ ”

“Dream, I have you on camera.”

Point proven, Eret turned back to George an eyebrow raised. George shrugged in return. “Sapnap believes him,” George responded, “And we all know that he can sniff when Dream’s lying better than anyone else.”

Eret held the bridge of his nose. “Fine, fine.” He turned back to the trio still sitting. “What seems to be the problem, and how can we fix it so we can shove some Nyquil down Dreams throat and then all get some sleep?”

“I want my apartment back,” Wilbur said simply. “It’s being held hostage by a twelve-year -old.”

“He’s not actually twelve,” Dream felt it was important to clear up. “He looks about, sixteen? seventeen?”

“Do you know how long he’s been dead for?” George asked.

Wilbur shrugged. “The previous owner of the apartment only moved out a few months ago and he didn’t have a kid – he’d been living there for about four years, though, and, knowing this ghost, the previous owner would _not_ have been able to last four years – it has to be quite recent.”

Techno nodded in agreement. “Aren’t ghosts tied to places of significant value? Why would this ghost hang out at some random apartment?”

“He seemed very protective of it,” Wilbur added. “He really wanted us to get out, but I don’t think he’s the type to actually want to be alone.”

George sighed. “Look, I know a guy, ok?”

Dream snorted at George’s wording. “That doesn’t sound sketchy at all.”

He got a glare in reply.

George opened his mouth, but was interrupted by a flash of lightning, followed a few seconds later by a large rumble. It sounded as though the sky was going to break at any second. The six in the diner looked around at each other in varying states of discomfort.

The front door to the diner slammed open, and the six jumped, whirling to face the intruder.

They couldn’t catch his face, backlit as he was by outside’s lampposts and lightning, but he cast a formidable shadow- the man must have been nearly two metres.

“I hear you have a ghost problem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHAT UP GAMERS I'M BACK, INTRODUCING TO YOU THE DREAM TEAM AS FAST FOOD EMPLOYEES (but, like, gourmet fast-food, because Eret has Standards).  
> Did ya miss me?  
> I honestly loved writing this chapter, Eret in a dress gives me LIFE.  
> Also I'm so glad that so many people guessed that the driver was Sapnap! I know these guys are kinda ooc but the fact that you guessed right gives me a bit of hope.  
> ALSO: OH NO, A 2 METRE TALL FIGURE I WONDER WHO IT COULD BE. (I have a problem with adding all and every character.)  
> As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed!


	6. OHOHOHHHHH

_“Ranboo, Sweetie, could you quieten down a little?”_

He was a 2 years and 3 months old the first time they noticed it happened. He doesn’t remember it, but he’d heard whispers of it- he remembered his parents hiding away in the kitchen, the door half-closed, their voices carrying to Scott where he was pressed against the crack in the door, where he hoped his parents couldn’t see him. He doesn’t remember most of their words now, but in his head he can remember their agitated voices, and the shuffles of their feet.

_“He’s still doing it!” His mother whispered, her bracelet jangling as she waved her hand. “The talking. Why is he still doing it?”_

_“It’s probably just an imaginary friend,” his father replied casually._

_“They’re meant to grow out of that! He’s old enough! The books all say so!”_

_“Relax, honey, it’s just an imaginary friend.”_

_“It’s not!_

She had been insistent. Her worry outweighed her rationality and was the cause of mood swings in later life, with flighty personalities. A mother’s instinct was not to be ignored. After all, her instincts had been right- it hadn’t been an imaginary friend Ranboo often spoke to.

It had been a ghost.

Ranboo saw them everywhere, now. At seventeen, he had learned how to avoid looking at them, to make it look like he wasn’t crazy, that he was just like everyone else. His mother was still flighty beyond repair, but at least Ranboo was able to mostly convince her that he no longer had any ‘imaginary friends’.

It was hard sometimes.

Sometimes, the ghosts would see him notice them, and, try as he might, he could never ignore them well enough. Usually, the ghosts were harmless. They just wanted to talk, after being along for so long, no one able to see them. Sometimes, just a talk was enough for them to move on. When Ranboo was younger, he had tried to help the ghosts move on. As he got older, and he was able to see somehow _more_ ghosts, helping them became too much as seven, eight, nine ghosts would surround him, shouting, crying, begging. Ranboo would put his hands over his ears and try to block it all out, block out their pain, their suffering. It was always worse when he was at school. Not only did he have to appear like he was fine, like he was _normal_ , but they were so often children. Children who had died too early and were tied to the school. They didn’t understand they were dead. They didn’t _want_ to. Ranboo didn’t blame them. And some of the reasons for their deaths, oh _god please stop-_

Ranboo had never set foot in a hospital.

Those ghosts weren’t even the really bad ones. The bad ones saw that Ranboo could see them, but it had been so long since they had spoken to someone that they had lost part of what made them human. They would throw objects at him, eyes blank and grins spread manically. They were the ones who snuck up on you when you were walking through an alley on your way home from work, or who followed you home to hide in your closet, just to get a reaction out of you, to see you feel something, as if that would spur them into feeling something too.

There was one ghost, though, who Ranboo could say he didn’t hate – he’d even go so far to call them a friend.

Tubbo had died only a few years ago, permanently stuck in the juncture between fourteen and fifteen. He was always a sickly child, but one spell of Pneumonia was too much for him. Ranboo wasn’t sure where he had come from- he was one of the few ghosts who weren’t tied to any place. Ranboo liked to call them Wanderers- they were most often children, and Ranboo guessed that they hadn’t ‘moved on’ yet because they hadn’t had the opportunity to live properly. Ranboo hoped that by sticking with him, Tubbo would be able to move on in a few years. Until then, he was happy for the company.

He could also be quite useful.

“So, ya know Captain Puffy?” Tubbo asked, as if Ranboo wasn’t familiar with the old sailor who died in 1956 and looked after the stray cats in the alley outside Ranboo’s parent’s apartment.

Ranboo nodded, not looking up from his homework.

“Well, she heard from Sam, you remember, that grocer from 2001 who got caught in the fire? Well, he was talking with Skeppy and _he_ said that he heard a commotion in one of the downtown apartment blocks. He was saying that it looked like some people were having some trouble with a ghost. That they could see him? He was saying how they looked like they all needed some help, then droned on about the ‘incompetence of today’s young adults’ and then something like ‘Hanyah, hanyah, hanyah…’”

Ranboo leaned back on his chair and spun on it, looking at the ceiling in contemplation. He looked out the window. On one hand, it was raining and he had homework to complete for Monday. On the other hand…

Despite his aversion to acknowledging the existence of ghosts, there were select circumstances where Ranboo would willingly help with ghost problems. It had only happened once, but from that moment Ranboo had vowed that if other people could also see the ghost, he would help them. The one time it had happened before, Ranboo had been too late. That wouldn’t happen again.

“Also, from the description of the three people, it sounded like one of them was Dream,” Tubbo added.

“Oh, free pizza, Pog!”

**.oO0Oo.**

Techno stood. “Who the hell are you?”

The figure in the doorway entered the diner. Despite his formidable height, he looked as though he couldn’t have been older than eighteen, though his voice rivalled Techno’s in deep monotone. Dream noted that as the figure began walking forward, he seemed to startle at the sight of them. Not able to yet see their eyes, Dream was unsure who it was that shocked the figure.

George squinted his eyes. “… Ranboo?” he asked, seeming surprised. “I was just going to text you.”

“Hey, cousin,” Ranboo replied.

Dream let out a sigh of relief and waved, having met the younger many times through George. “Hiya Ranboo! How’d you hear about that?”

George and Ranboo exchanged a look. George raised a brow in question. “Can I tell them?”

“Sure.”

“My cousin here can see ghosts.”

“ _What,”_ Dream coughed out, looking between the two. “You two have known that ghosts exist this _entire time?”_

George shrugged. “There are much stranger things that could be real.”

“Yeah, like what?”

“In a different universe we could all play a fantasy block-game where you punch trees and stab cows and measure your competence through how long you’ve spent sitting in one spot staring at a screen.”

George got silence in reply.

“… Are you okay George?” Sapnap asked.

George shrugged. “Yeah, I’m fine, why?”

Ranboo snapped his fingers. “Guys. Ghost.”

“Right,” Dream said, shaking his head.

Ranboo nodded as Techno, Wilbur and Dream explained the situation.

“So, now all we need is a plan,” Wilbur said.

“I vote arson,” Ranboo said.

Wilbur was silent. “You are no help,” he eventually decided to say.

“I like this one,” Techno said.

Ranboo chuckled. “I’m joking, I’m joking. I actually think the best thing to do would be to go back to the apartment and talk with this ghost more. I also think that some of us should go and have a talk with the past owner- for a ghost to be tied to a place something significant must have happened. Talking to this guy would be our best bet of finding out how to help Tommy.”

“I have a car we could use,” Eret offered. “And Sapnap obviously does as well.”

“Uh, no offense,” Sapnap said, “But I didn’t agree to any of this. Just because I agreed to pick Dream up doesn’t mean I’m automatically on board with everything. I don’t have anything to do with this ‘ghost’.”

Dream huffed. “Come on, Snapmap, where’s your sense of adventure?”

“I left it at home in my bed, which is where _I_ should be right now.”

George hit the back of Sapnap’s head. “None of that, you’re coming. You owe me for the time I took the fall for you and told Eret that I was the one who messed up the milk order.”

Eret hissed. “All of my employees are _liars._ I should fire all of you.”

“Yet for some reason, you don’t,” Dream said. “Probably because you secretly care for us.”

“Think what you will,” Eret said with a nonchalant wave in Dream’s direction, “But that reminds me.” Eret then turned to Wilbur and Techno. “I’m also unofficially adopting you. If you want a job, just, show up and these three,” he indicated to Dream, George and Sapnap, “will show you around.”

“Or just, show up,” Dream said.

“Careful,” Techno said, “We’re practically strangers. We’ve known each other for one day.”

“Oh, please,” Dream retorted. “I’ve met Wilbur four times. Also, anchovies on pizza?” he turned to face Wilbur. “I am severely judging you.”

Wilbur shrugged. “I don’t blame you for not liking them. You’re salty enough.”

Dream punched Wilbur in the shoulder. Hard.

Sapnap sighed. “Look, I understand that Wilbur has some weird attachment to this new apartment, but why don’t we just leave it alone? This Tommy guy clearly doesn’t want us anywhere near the apartment. It’s not our problem, let’s just… not?”

Ranboo shook his head. “Normally, I’d agree – Ghosts aren’t usually the most understanding things. I honestly try to avoid them, myself.”

“Then why?”

“Because you guys can see him. And if other people can see him, then it’s not too late.”

“What do you mean, ‘not too late’?” Dream asked.

“I mean that he’s not actually dead yet.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA


	7. Guys, he's not dead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the end notes?

_“I mean that he’s not actually dead yet.”_

Not wanting to leave strangers alone in his apartment, Wilbur decided that he, Dream, Techno and Ranboo would take Sapnap’s car back to talk with Phantommy, while George, Sapnap and Eret (the last one not trusting the other two alone), would talk with the past owner.

“The contact name he gave me was ‘BadBoyHalo’,” Wilbur said, passing a piece of paper with the guy’s number and new address on it to Eret (for emergencies, the guy had said when Wilbur moved in to his apartment). George and Sapnap nodded, the latter relieved that he wouldn’t have to interact with the ghost.

There was a short argument over the seating arrangement in Eret’s car. As Wilbur was the most experienced, he volunteered to drive, but he objected vehemently when Dream suggested Techno ride shotgun and Ranboo and Dream go in the back, as they were the most familiar. Ranboo bit his lip, and Dream couldn’t help think that he was missing something as Ranboo said, “Nah, Techno and I can go in the back.”

So, Dream sat beside Wilbur in the passenger seat as they began the drive back to Wilbur’s haunted apartment. Ranboo was chatting aimiably with someone beside him- Dream assumed that it was a ghost, but Dream, Techoblade and Wilbur seemed locked in a tense silence.

To break it, Dream turned to Ranboo and asked, “So, how do you know that Tommy’s still alive? Have you saved someone before?”

Ranboo faltered in his conversation with his ghost friend. His eyes flickered between the blank space next to him and Dream, as though looking for how he should respond.

“I… uh, didn’t manage to save them,” he eventually said.

Dream immediately felt guilty. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-”

Ranboo waved him off. “It’s fine,” he reassured the other. “I’m not even sure how I could have helped them anyway. I was just so shocked that someone else could see the ghost- I thought that it was because they were almost dead as well. It turns out I was wrong though, and by the time that I called for help, it was too late, and I watched them die as their ghost sat down next to me.”

Dream saw something resolve in Ranboo’s eyes. “That’s why we have to try and save Tommy before it’s too late.”

“Sounds rough,” Technoblade said. Ranboo jumped and turned to him, something like fear in his eyes. Dream was about to question this, but Wilbur’s announcement of “We’re here,” cut him off.

**.oO0Oo.**

Eret, George and Sapnap looked up at the building located at the address that Wilbur had given them.

“I don’t mean to sound rude, but this is a serious downgrade from the last place,” Sapnap said.

“See, you say stuff like that and wonder why people don’t like you,” George snarked.

Eret rolled his eyes. This was the reason he felt the need to go with these two. Without him they wouldn’t have even made it to BadBoyHalo’s new apartment. They’d be in a ditch strangling each other.

“Look, all I’m saying is that if the guy couldn’t find a nicer apartment to move into, why did he move?” Sapnap continued.

George raised an eyebrow sceptically. “Because of the _ghost?”_

Sapnap shrugged. “Surely it would’t be _that_ hard. The last apartment wasn’t exactly a penthouse.”

“Look, maybe he was in a hurry,” Eret said, “None of that matters now, though. Are you guys coming or not?”

George and Sapnap followed Eret, glaring at each other as they climbed the stairs to the second story. Eret rapped his knuckles on the door.

There was no answer.

He tried again. Sapnap rang the doorbell. Twice.

Eret was about to turn away when the door finally swung open, and a man in what looked to be a Demon dressing gown appeared.

“Do you have any idea what time it is?” The guy croaked. Eret, suddenly realising he did not, in fact, know the time, checked at his watch.

“12:37 am,” he answered.

The guy, presumedly BadBoyHalo, dragged a hand down his face, and was about to say something when Eret breezed past him and entered the apartment, dress swirling behind him.

“You’re BadBoyHalo, right?” he said.

The other nodded, apparently not awake enough to be alarmed at the fact that three strangers were now in his home. Eret clapped, ready to get down to business. “Do you know a kid called Tommy?”

Bad froze, the sighed, waving at his sofa, indicating for them to sit.

“Would you muffins like some tea?”

At their nods, Bad hurried off to fill his kettle. George, Sapnap and Eret made themselves comfortable on the sofa, and, once Bad returned, only took a few sips of tea before they launched into their questions.

“How do you know Tommy?”

“Why did you move?”

“Did you know that there’s a _ghost_ in your old apartme-”

“Hey!” Bad said, effective enough to cut off the others’ questions. “I’ll tell you what I know, okay? And then could you please leave?” The sincerity in Bad’s eyes had the other’s nodding, and Bad sighed.

“Look, it was raining pretty heavily, okay?” Bad took a breath, as if to steady himself. “I was driving home from getting some last-minute groceries, and it was dark, and I didn’t see him. I tried to stop, I swear, I did, but the rain had made the road slippery, and the next thing I knew was that I hit him.” Bad put his face in his hands and leaned forward.

“Tommy’s parents were so angry. I tried to visit him in hospital, but they didn’t let me. I went back to my apartment, and I was fine for a few days. But then _he_ turned up, and, at first, he didn’t say anything. I don’t even know if you _could,_ but he just… stood there. Then he said my name and I couldn’t take seeing him anymore. I just felt – still feel - so guilty about it all, so I bought the first apartment I found and moved out the next day. I just, I didn’t know what to do.”

Bad looked up, tears streaked down his face. Eret, George and Sapnap sat there in silence, not sure how to broach the next thing the wanted to ask. Sapnap, ever one to simply blurt out what he was saying asked.

“Do you know where Tommy’s body is now?”

“He’s at the hospital- he’s been in a coma a week now, and they’re not sure if he’s going to wake up. His family can’t afford for him to be on life support for much longer.

**.oO0Oo.**

“Do you see that time?” Wilbur said, pointing aggressively at the clock in the kitchen of his apartment. “It’s too late for this shit. I have work tomorrow.”

“Today.”

“What?”

“It’s technically morning now.”

Dream stopped Wilbur and Technoblade’s bickering by slapping a hand over both their mouths and dragging them further into the house to look for Tommy.

“Hey, Tommy? You here?” Ranboo said as he entered Wilbur’s apartment. Tubbo floated next to him, moving into the kitchen.

Ranboo found Tommy in the bedroom. He was sitting on the bed, looking out the window.

“I found him!” Ranboo called behind him. He heard Dream, Wilbur and Techno shuffle as they stopped their searching.

Tommy was on Ranboo in an instant.

“How old are you?” he asked.

“I- what?”

“How old are you?”

“Uh, older than you?”

A storm crossed Tommy’s face, but it was then that Tubbo phased through the wall.

Tommy whirled around when he saw Tubbo. “Wh- _Tubbo?”_

“Tommy!” Tubbo said. “I didn’t know that _you_ were the ghost!”

Tommy looked shocked. “Mate, I haven’t seen you in _years!_ How’ve you been?”

“I’ve been good, yeah, I’ve been sticking with Ranboo since I died. He can see ghosts, ya know?”

Tommy hummed. “Can’t everyone, though?”

“No,” Ranboo interrupted their badly-timed reunion.

“Then why can these Losers see me?” Tommy asked as Wilbur, Techno and Dream came in.

Ranboo was interrupted when he tried to answer by Dream asking. “Where is he?”

Ranboo furrowed his brow. “He’s right here?”

Wilbur shook his head, though looked around harder as though that would make Tommy appear. “We can’t see anything.”

Ranboo looked to Tommy in alarm, but then Tommy closed his eyes and breathed out deeply. Suddenly, his ghost form became a lot more solid, and when he opened his eyes again, Tommy heard Dream, Wilbur and Technoblade gasp.

“Wassup Big D,” Tommy greeted Dream. “Wilbur! Techno! Long time, no see! Honestly, I thought you guys had left for good! I should have smashed more vases.” Tommy looked around the room, before he settled on a lamp. Tubbo reached out an arm and slapped it across Tommy’s chest before he could do anything.

“Griefing’s bad,” Tubbo said.

“I’m not _griefing_. I’m redecorating.”

Ranboo decided that telling Tommy straight would probably be the best was to go. “Tommy. Dream, Wilbur and Techno can see you because you’re not actually dead yet. But looking at how your energy levels are fading, you don’t have much time left.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ!!!!  
> I hate to do this, but I was wondering if you guys could check out my submission for the Dream Mask Contest!  
> https://twitter.com/IDinkster/status/1355316884674027525?s=20  
> Art means everything to me, but I literally don't have any followers because I don't have an art account, but I might in future!  
> I was just wondering if you wanted to check it out, maybe retweet (you don't have to though, it's not like I'm going to win, there are some AMAZING artists out there.)
> 
> Anyway, sorry about that, but, as always, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! I also hope you all are doing well. Thanks for reading!!!!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for talks about a car crash. Not graphic - it's recounted.

Dream put down his phone after Eret had relayed the information he had gained from Bad.

“So, I’m not actually dead?” Tommy said, looking as though he couldn’t quite believe it. “Huh, just when I had gotten used to not being able to eat anything.” Tommy then punched the air. “Suck it, Death! Ain’t no car gonna defeat me!”

Techno, Wilbur and Ranboo flinched. Dream assumed it was because of the sudden increase in volume.

“So,” Dream said. “Do we have a plan for how we’re going to get Tommy’s soul back into his body?”

Ranboo huffed. “This is where it gets tricky. Last time I tried, it didn’t work. From my experience, many ghosts stick around because there are people still living who can’t let them go because of the guilt that they feel. Last time, the person couldn’t forgive themselves before the person died.”

“So, all we need to do is get Bad to forgive himself for hitting Tommy?” Dream said. “Simple!”

Wilbur looked at Dream, affronted. “You have the emotional capacity of a cat.”

“What is it with you two and comparing me to cats. Cats are great.”

“A cat ate my bird once.”

“Not my problem.”

**.oO0Oo.**

Wilbur, Ranboo, Dream and Techno once again sat Eret’s car – this time, Tommy sat in the middle, his hand gripped tightly by Tubbo (“It’s the only way Tommy will be able to leave the apartment” Ranboo explained).

Dream studied Wilbur, noting his white grip on the steering wheel, and got sick of the tense silence that had once again consumed the Wilbur and Technoblade as they drove to Bad’s new apartment.

Dream opened his mouth, but no sound came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Are… Are you okay Wilbur?”

To be quite honest, he wasn’t expecting a response. That was probably why Wilbur’s next words came as such a shock.

“Dad died in a car crash.”

Dream blinked. Even Tommy stopped his senseless ramblings, and somehow Techno’s silence seemed to become even more apparent.

Wilbur spared a glance at Dream, then he smiled humourlessly.

“Why don’t you ask Techie about it,” he said. “He was there.”

Dream turned around hesitantly in his seat to look at Technoblade. The other was still, his only movement being the slightly rapid movement of his chest as he breathed.

Technoblade looked back at Dream. “It- It wasn’t my fault, I swear.”

Wilbur scoffed. “Honestly, Dream, I’m surprised that you didn’t hear about it in the news. ‘Deranged, psychotic teen kills adopted father by driving car into a tree, leaving brother devastated.’ Most people recognise us just by sight – there was a huge scandal and everything. They couldn’t condemn him, of course; he was underage. But if he were driving now, who knows what he’d do.”

“You know that’s not true,” Techno growled out.

Ranboo was looking, panic-stricken, between the two brothers. He looked as though he wanted to say something but couldn’t find the words.

“Then why, Technoblade,” Wilbur said, eyes focused on the road. “I might believe you, if you had shown any emotion after he died. Some remorse would have been nice to see. Instead, you shut yourself off and didn’t do anything to make you look like less of a psychopath. Philza sacrificed _everything_ for you, and the least you owed him was a tear at his funeral. You didn’t even show up.”

Silence once again consumed the car. Dream didn’t know what to think. Despite what Wilbur had said, Dream didn’t think Techno was the type of person to actually kill anyone, much less his own father. That being said, Dream still didn’t know what to say – heavy, emotional moments were _not_ his forte.

Ranboo cleared his throat. “I guess… we can talk about this later? Let’s focus on Tommy for the minute.”

The group climbed out of Eret’s car, having arrived outside Bad’s apartment.

They were greeted by George at the door, but Ranboo stopped the others from entering. He also indicated for Eret and Sapnap to leave. “I think… I think that it would be best if it were just me, Tommy and Bad having this discussion.”

Loath as they were to agree, the others sat down against the wall of the apartment. Wilbur snorted sardonically “This is déjà vu”.

Dream smiled slightly from next to him. Techno was in a hushed discussion with Eret, about what, Dream would never be able to guess.

Dream tugged lightly on Wilbur’s sweater. “You don’t… actually think Techno crashed on purpose, do you?” he said, searching Wilbur’s face.

Wilbur looked down at Dream and sighed. “I don’t know. On one hand, I _know_ my brother, I know that he loved our father, but, sometimes, I can’t help but blame him. I know it’s not right, but there’s constantly this ‘ _what if’_ that goes on in my brain. What if I’m betraying Philza by not hating his murderer? What if Techno’s not lying, and I’ve been an ass for almost two years? I just… I don’t know what to do.”

Dream took Wilbur’s hand in his own. He never knew what to say in these situations, so all he could do was offer his comfort. He lay his head on Wilbur’s shoulder, and felt his eyes droop, as they all waited for the verdict on what was to become of Tommy.

**.oO0Oo.**

“What do you mean you _don’t know?”_ Eret stressed. He didn’t know when, but he had become incredibly invested in the fate of Tommy. He couldn’t help adopting Wayward boys. It was his motherly instinct.

“I mean, I don’t know if it will have worked until we get Tommy’s soul back to his body,” Ranboo clarified. “Tommy and Bad had a nice hear-to-heart, and Bad and Tommy seem to have forgiven Bad, but we need to get to the hospital as soon as possible.”

Dream flopped backward on the floor, having been woken up in the commotion. “I just want to _sleep._ This is too much for one night. The hospital won’t even accept visitors at this time.”

Techno looked at Dream. “It wouldn’t be the first time we’ve broken into a place tonight.”

“Breaking into Wilbur’s apartment when Wilbur locked himself out doesn’t count,” Dream replied. “Also, are we forgetting the fact that I nearly _died?_ ”

Techno shrugged. “Butcha didn’t.”

“Nah, nah, it’s cool guys,” Tommy interrupted. “I can walk through walls. I’m practically a superhero.”

“You are a literal child,” Wilbur retorted.

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“I’m sorry, who’s the child?” George said.

Eret stood. “Let’s get this show on the road, shall we?”

Dream groaned as Techno pulled him up. “I am going to sleep for a _week_ after this.”

“No chit chat or dilly dallying!” Eret called over his shoulder. “We have a ghost to save. Now, all aboard the Skylark!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hhhhhhh I'm sorry that it's been a while since my last update! I've been struggling to write, what with assignments and a creative writing major work n shit.
> 
> I hope y'all are doing well! I drew Ranboo if you want to check it out!!!!   
> https://twitter.com/IDinkster/status/1359739195682660354?s=20
> 
> \- Twitter is @IDinkster  
> What can I say, it's a shameless plug (if you are one of my 11 followers who appeared from the depths of the internet... I am so grateful. I've never shared my art with anyone but times are changing!!! It might look good in a portfolio if I decide to do a joint med/art degree or something. I'm rambling). Anyway!!! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and you're all doing well, and I can't wait to read your comments!!!


	9. The most important part of this chapter is the MCYT acronym

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter title is only sort of a lie.  
> I'm slightly serious.
> 
> ALSO PHANTOMMY IS CANNON NOW SO TAKE THAT.

Sapnap practically fell out of Bad’s van. “I feel like we were just trapped in the fucking Mystery Machine,” Sapnap said.

“Tommy’d be the dog,” Techno drawled.

“Well _excuse you,_ bitch.”

“Nah, that’d be you.”

Tommy huffed, folding his arms. Bad had been kind enough to lend the MCYTs (Miscellaneous Crew of Young Troublemakers) his car – a cheap minivan bought from a used-car lot that he said he used to use to take his friends and himself to their university. It was rusted near the doors, and one of the back handles didn’t work (George climbed in through the window).

The entourage climbed out of the van and approached Tommy’s hospital

“You should all know that, legally, I do _not_ condone this kind of behaviour,” Eret said. “But just between you and me,” he said, indicating to the six other humans and two ghosts (one of whom he couldn’t actually see) “the easiest way to scale a building is to find a gap like this-” he pointed to an indent in the wall a bit larger than a metre wide, “- and lodge your feet in, move your body sideways and shuffle your way up.”

Dream raised an eyebrow, having learned this technique when he did parkour. At his questioning look, Eret felt the need to add, “I had to deliver a lot of pizzas to questionable residences is my day.”

“You’re literally the same age as me,” Dream said.

Eret waved his hand dismissively. “Who owns their own business here?” Silence. “That’s what I thought.”

“Which room is Tommy in again?” Ranboo asked.

“Level 3, room 24,” George said, having got the answer off Bad before they left.

Dream shivered. “Why does it always have to be level three?”

Sapnap scratched his neck. “Are we all forgetting that what we’re doing is very illegal?”

“Don’t worry,” Ranboo said. “I got some ghost friends to mess with the cameras.”

“Ghost friends,” Sapnap muttered. “This night is so absurd.”

“So, I should be the only one who has to go up, right?” Ranboo asked. Considering he would be the only one who knew if Tommy’s spirit actually assimilated with his body, this made sense. Ranboo couldn’t help but supress a shiver, however. There was a reason that this was the first time he was going into a hospital. He tried, harder than ever, to avoid looking at the ghosts that surrounded the building. He kept his eyes on the floor.

“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” Wilbur asked.

Ranboo shrugged. “I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

“I could come with you, if you want.”

Ranboo considered, then shook his head. “I’ll be fine. I have Tubbo.” He took a breath. “Well, wish me luck!”

Ranboo moved toward the gap in the wall Eret had indicated to before. He shuffled up, thankful that his tall stature made the climb easier. Tommy and Tubbo cheared him on, and he glared at them, envious that they were able to just… float up. Tubbo was still clutching Tommy’s wrist, and Ranboo saw his grip tighten whenever he thought that Ranboo was going to fall. They both had their other arms raised slightly in preparation to grap his shirt if he did fall. By the time Ranboo made it to the third floor, his arms were shaking with exertion, and he let out a shaky breath of relief as he stood on the window ledge. Ever thankful that it had stopped raining. Ranboo took a second to gather his wits, resolute not to look down.

Tubbo sighed beside him. “That was way too close. Never do that again.”

Ranboo grinned. “I thought it was quite fun. Nothing like a bit of adrenalin at 3am to help with your sleep patterns.”

Ranboo shimmied across the ledge, careful not to be seen, but, as it was still night, most of the windows’ curtains were closed. Ranboo counted the windows, having memorised the layout of the hospital from blueprints Wilbur had downloaded off the internet. When he came to what he thought was room 24, Ranboo tried to open the window, grunting, but not wholly surprised, when he found that it was locked.

“Time to do your thing, guys,” Ranboo said.

Tubbo nodded and phased through the window, dragging Tommy with him. He then pulled at the string of the curtains to open them, while Tommy flicked open the latch of the window. After Ranboo slipped in, he finally noted the rhythmic sound of a heart monitor, as well as the bed in the centre of the room. Large machines with IV drips surrounded the bed, and Ranboo moved so he could see the boy.

It seemed that Ranboo had guessed the room correctly because it was Tommy who lay in the bed, his eyes closed, oxygen tubes travelling through his nose.

“This is so weird,” Tommy said as he floated around to loom over his comatose body. “Do I really look like this?” he said, observing his face from different angles. “This is a real out of body experience, if I do say so.”

“You didn’t have to say so,” Ranboo said. “We would have all been fine without the bad attempt at a pun.”

Tommy sighed. “Can’t blame me for trying to lighten the mood. Either this works or I’m permanently dead, right?”

Ranboo nodded.

“I guess, then, it’s now or never.”

He paused.

“So, what do I actually do?”

Ranboo faltered. “I guess, just, try touching yourself?”

There was a short silence, then Tommy broke into loud, raucous laughter. Ranboo couldn’t help but smile at Tommy’s reaction, as crude and misplaced as his accidental joke had been. Tommy wiped a tear from his eye. “Ok, ok, here goes.”

Tommy reached out to place a hand on his forehead, and, then…

There was nothing.

“Tommy?” Tubbo said. He got no response.

There was… nothing.

The Tommy on the bed didn’t wake up.

Ranboo turned to Tubbo. “Do you think it worked?”

Tubbo shrugged. “We’ll have to wait and see if he wakes up.”

**.oO0Oo.**

Sapnap was climbing a tree.

“Snapmap, what in the ever-loving hell are you doing?” Eret asked, looking at his employee.

“Puddles,” he said, as he lay down against a bough he deemed suitable, and promptly fell asleep.

Eret looked down. The floor was, indeed, coated in puddles – too many to permit sitting down – and a glance at his watch had Eret suddenly hit with a wave of fatigue that he hadn’t seemed to notice in the chaos.

In the time it took for Eret to look back up, Dream was already in the tree, reaching out a hand for George to clasp. Technoblade and Wilbur, too, approached the tree, and Eret slumped down against the trunk, the floor having remained mostly dry due to protection from the tree’s leaves. With that, the band of recently-acquainted – dare I say it – friends, fell asleep, in a tree, outside a hospital.

[Please follow my art account. I post cool stuff, I swear.](https://twitter.com/IDinkster) Here's some incentive (Wilbur Soot :D )

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH MY GOODNESS, LOOK AT ME, I'VE RISEN FROM THE DEAD.  
> A bit less than a month. Wow. I'm so sorry.  
> I mean, y'all would have seen what I've been up to if you followed my MCYT art twitter @IDinkster  
> Alas, some of you will forever remain ignorant.  
> (in all seriousness this is an important academic time for me but I still want to draw and I have a creative writing major work that I'm really struggling with so these updates aren't my biggest priority BUT I WILL FINISH THIS FIC. All the ideas are down, it's just time to wrap it up.  
> Thanks for sticking with me! It's worth it I promise.)
> 
> But really, please check out my art.

**Author's Note:**

> Strap in folks! Writing practice let's gooooo. I have a plan for this fic so updates will hopefully be consistent(ish) but it is my senior year and I wanna study medicine and I already have a creative-writing major work I need to do soooo... 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and would love if you commented! I read all of them and I'll reply, I promise, they give me life ^-^  
> Leave suggestions of some stuff you'd like to see! I have a plot but I'm sure if you wanna see some stuff I could fit it in! (Like, I dunno if you wanna see the rest of the Dream Team cause they're not planned in as of yet, but I very easily can add them if you want. Edit: I couldn't help myself  
> Also, leave Kudos, it's free, and you can always unKudos if you change your mind (I hate it i hate it I hate-)  
> <3


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